Improvement in machines for molding earthenware



. dtiiro Statt-5 fatmtidiiite THOMAS GOODWIN GREEN, OF CHURCH GRESLEYPOTTERY, ENGLAND.

Letters Patent No. 108,779, dated November 1, 1870.

IMPROVEMENT IN MACHINES FOR MOLDING EARTHENWARE.

The Schedule referred to Vin these Letters Patent and making parl: ofthe same.

To all whom it may coirccriz.:

Beit known'th'at I, THOMAS. GOQDWIN GREEN, of Church Gresley Pottery, in4the county of Derby, England, have invented a new and improvedMachinery or Appliances for use lin the Manufacture of Eartlienwarc andChina-ware; and I. do hereby declare that the following is a full,clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to thevaccompanying drawing foi'iiiinga part of this specification.

This invention' has reference to improved machinery or appliances foruse in the manufacture of earthenware, more particularly ware of .thatclass and description the body of which is to be formed of a inaterialof inferior or cheap quality, and covered with a coating of material ofsii'perior or more expensive chai'- acter, so as to give lthe'appearanceof superiore-'are at less cost than heretofore.

My present invention may also be usefull y employed in the processes forthe manufacture of ordinary earthcnivare and China-ware, by the processof cast-ing when the clay is used in a slip state or a semi-fluid state,so that it may be poured into molds.

The object of the invention is to facilitate the maniifacture of c astware by operating upon or iilling several molds at a tinie,lto which end'any convenient number of molds ai'e placed in a'franie or case, and theslip or semi-duid clay is poured or allowed to run into the molds, andwhen it has remained there long enough to allow of a deposit of clay ofvsufficienttliickness on the surface of mold, the remainder-of the slipis poured out or allowed to run out, leaving a layer of clay ofthedesired thickness in the mold.

This deposit when obtained is treated and finished in the ordinarymanner.

For the convenience' of manipulation, I have de-V vised certainarrangements of machinery and'appliances foi' carryingr out myinvention, and this machinery and appliances (modified to suit thevarious forms o1; kinds of ware to which they may be applied) forni thesubject ofA my invention.

In adapt-ing the invention to the manufactiii'e,.say of basins ortea-cups, I make a box or case, which I call a slip-case, with a narrowinternal space, say, for example, one to two inc-lies between the frontand the back thereof, and of such length and height as may be requisiteto'aecomniodate the slip-case to the sizes andthe number of the molds tobe used. -Tlie top ot' this case is to be open, and the bottom is tocommunicate with a duct or ducts hereafter referred to, having valvearrangements for the admission and discharge' of the slip.

On the face or faces ofthe slip-case I cnt holes corresponding to thesize of the molds to be used, and I interpose a layer of some elasticmaterial between the slip-case and tlic mold, so as to make awater-tight joint. Any convenient number of molds are adapted to theface of the slip-case, and are secured by a fastening or fastenings, andthe slip-case is suspended upon pivots',.toallow of its being tilted toany angle that may be required when the molds are to Abe placed in ,orwithdrawn from the case or for the effective Vdrainage of the slip fromthe molds.

This slip-case is provided with one of the ducts liereiribefore referredto, so that the slip may be conducted thereto Vfrom tanks placed at asuitable level. A part of the entrance duct is made flexible, in oi'derto yield when the position of the case is altered b being tilted on oneside.

.In the accompanying drawingi Figure 1, SheetI, is a front elevation ofmy improved apparatus, consistiiig'ot' the slip-case and its appliauceslFigiire 2, Sheet I I, is a transverse -verticalsection of the saine,'taken in the line l 2 of iig. l; and

Figure 3, Sheet II, is au end elevation.

The sides, bottom and ends of the slip-case are marked A.

The upper part, which is marked A, fig. 2, being funnel-shaped, andserving as what I term a spar e, having siitlicient' capacity to allowenough slip to rise therein for the purpose of keeping up the supply asthe level of the slip is reduced by the absorption of the molds.

The lower part of the slip-case, marked A2 iiijfig. 2, is enlarged, asshowii in said iig. 2.

B denotes openings in one Aside of the slip-case, against which thefaces of the molds N to be filled, are placed.

A C denotes the duct from the slip-tank D.

This duct C consists ot' three parts, namely, the

lower, which forms a part of the slip-case, (as sliowm) the middleportion, 0*, formed by an India-rubber or elastic tube, fitted onto thelower part, and alsototlie upper part, such upper part of the duct beingfixed to or forming a part ofthe tank D.

E is a valve, shown by dots in iig. 1, for the admission of slip fromthe lower part of the duct C into .the body' of the slip-case.

El is tbe valve-rod, and y E2,'a lever, jointed to the valve-rod, whichis carried up beyond the top of the slip-case, and works on thelever-center i, placed across the interior of the slip-case, and issupported by the sides thereof.

E3 is a supporting or guide-block for the valve-rod E1 to workon, and

IiP-'is an India-rubber spring for keeping the Valve closed.

. The lever E2 is actuated by means of a wire or rod secured to the topthereof, and passing to a horizontal lever situatenear the discharge-endof the slip-case,

which the ,bearings for the pivots of the slip-case or mold-racks aresituated.

K K, ig. 2, are brackets, secured to and projecting from thefront sideof' the slip-case, andgfcarrying a piece of' iron tubing, K,'on whichthe catches L are fixed.

. This tube with its catches is capable of being rorated on its axis forthe purpose of locking the frame or gate M, which holds the molds N inplace, and

is hinged to the bar M2, fixed to the front of thev slip-case. Y A

To the gate or framing M is attached a horizontal rail, M3, the front ofwhich is provided with thick blocks ot' India rubber, which bear againstthe backs of the lnolds, and act as Yan adjustable packing bctween themolds and the i'aming M.

'lhe joints between the faces ot' the molds N and the face of theslip-case round. the openings B, are

m'ade water-tight by means ot' rings ot' rubber, a., soA that the slipfroml the case is prevented from running out at the joints, which are,moreover, kept'tight by the frame or gate M, with its rail and rubberblocks Mlv pressing the molds forward against the slip-ease.

The framing M is pressed `forward for this purpose by means of a level'inserted into a socket, K2, at one o rbc'th ends of the locking-tube K1,and this latterL with its catches L, are held in lposition by pawlstaking into the ratchet-racks K". Y

The slip-case, with a single row ot' molds shown at the upper part offigs. 1, 2, and 3, is for putting on the fine external coating of slip;but the slip-`case immediately below'it, with the three rows of molds,is for putting on the thick body of the article, and which body isformed of a: commoncr material.

As a considerable thickness of this material' is required, the slip mustremain on the molds a longer time than for the external coat. I,therefore, employ two or more rows of molds, which are lled and einptied in precisely the same manner as the upper slip` case. r

The frame M for the lower slip-case is 4v,not hinged' tothe bar M2', asis the case with the upper frame, but is simply suspended therefrom b yhooks, asshown at fig. 2, to admit of removal with facility.

The action of the apparatus is as follows:

Upon the valve Effor the admission o f the slipu being opened, the slipwill rise up the inside of the slipcase' and fill the molds. Then theslip-case has been iilledto the' height required, the admission-Valve E'should be closed, andl the slip allowed to remain in the case sulcienttime to deposit the required thickness ot clay upon the surface of themolds.' "lhen the discharge-valve F may be opened and' the slip allowedto discharge itself, leaving the molds with a thin lining of' slip ontheir surfaces. lIhe molds are theuto be removed, and'plaeed in thelower slip-case, in which they receive the commoner material to-makethebody of thearticle. lVhen this has 4been done, the molds are removedfrom the lower slip-case, and, after being allowed to stand a short timeto solidify the cla'y, they are placed in the upper case to receiv'r'theinner .coating of fne'slip. l

If the articles are to be made solid, that is', of the same materialthroughout, the molds are allowed to remain in the slip-case unt-ilasuiiicient thickness has been deposited. lhe superfluous slip is thendrawn olf in the manner already explained, and the molds may then beremoved and placed in the drying-stove, after which the ware may befettledand finished in theordinary way.

From the above description lot' my improved machinery and appliances,Iit will be evident that the invention is equally applicable to themanufacture of ordinary cast-ware as to the improved ware alreadyreferred to. Y

A machine or appliance which may be used for the internal or externalfacing of flat ware, such as plates or dishes, is shown in Sheet III ofthe drawings, in which- Figure 4 isa front elevation, and

Figure 5, a verticalsection of the machine.

It consists of `a mold-rack, A, constructed on the principle of one sideof the slip-case already described.

' 'lhe rack or frame A,in which the molds N are secured, has f holes oropenings, B, made in it, (corresponding to the -molds,) as in the formerinstance.

This mold-rack or frame'Ais mounted upon an axis or pivot, on which itmay be turned, as indicated by the dotted lines in fig. 5, and it may befixed at any angle that may be required.

In connection therewith, I construct a slip-duct, C, of the' capacityrequired, according to .the size and number ot' -thc' articles to bcmade. i Onc side of this d uct is made to open on a hinge, as at 0*, sothat it may fall down and rest on the rack; but, Vwhen the duct is fullot' slip, the movable side must be secured bysuitable astcnings, toprevent the liquid from leaking out.v i

In operating with this appaiatus, I place the molds N in Athe rack A,and then tix the rack at the angle required and, after filling thetrough C with slip, (such trough being fixed in a position to allow 'ofthe hinged s idefO*F ofthe trough falling upon the top edge of themold-rack A.) I open the hinged side 0*, and allow it to drop upon thetop edge of the mold-rack, which will allow the amount of slip thetrough ouduct O contained to ow over the faces of the molds in the rack,leaving a smooth and perfect covering, and completing the covering' ofas many molds as the rack may contain.

'lhe bar M, with its rubber block and other aceessories, is used in thesame manner and for the same purpose as that explained `in reference tothe figures in Sheet I.

It` the main body ot' the ware is to be lnade ot' the inferior material,this may be donefby the aid of the sliplcase hereinbefore described,after which the. snrface of`the main body should be properly smootheddown by the workman, who can put the foot on the .,ware, if required.The last coat may'then be applied by means of the mold-rack, in the'manner just `decenters or pivots, 'so that it may be turned thereon ortilted, when required, as shown by dots in iig. 6.

This rack-fi-ame may, if desired, be adapted 'to a carriage, b,andmounted on wheels c, so that it may be moved to and tro on rails (l, orotherwise.

Any convenient number of molds e, according to the' size of the articlesto be produced, are placed in the rack or case (1.;.and on the faceofthe molds is placed a tray, j, provided with a flange or projectingedges all around', and iu which are made openings corresponding to theopenings of the molds e, precisely as shown at figs. 2 and 5.

This tray is pressed down on the faces of the mold, and Water-tightjoints (formed by rings of rubber, in the manner already explained,) areproduced. Y

When the molds have been properly secured in the rack or case a, thelatter may be run up (on its wheels) to the slip-trough g, and therequisite quantity of slip allowed to run onto the. ,tray f, and fromthence int-o t .run into a tank, from which it is pumped up into thereservoirs connected. with the slip-'cases or troughs.

Having thus described my invent-ion7 I claim as new and 'desire tosecure by Letters "Patentn 1. The receptacle and charger A, constructedas set vforth, and provided with openings B, as and for the purposeherein shown and described.

2. The charger A, provided with hinged rack M, with its elastickeeper-blocks, and the securing device as and for the purpose set forth.l

. 3. The combination of pivoted charger A, tank D, and exible duct 0*,as and for therpurpose shownand described.

In witness whereof', I, the said THOMAS GOODWIN August, in the year ofour Lord 1870. v

THOS. G. GREEN.

Witnesses:

H. K. WHITE,

66 C'hmwery Lane. W. I. WYNN,

24 Royal Exchange, London.

K1 K3 L, when constructed and operating substantially GREEN, havehereunto set my hand the 19tl1day of

